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UA News

Embattled running back happy to be back with team

Headline Photo
Randy Metcalf

UA redshirt junior running back Leo Mills poses with a football last night at his apartment. Mills is expected to play a signifigant role with the football team this season after working his way out of academic probation.

By Kamy Shaygan
ARIZONA DAILY WILDCAT

Monday August 27, 2001 |

Arizona Daily Wildcat

When UA junior running back Leo Mills got pulled over last spring for having an open container of alcohol in his car, he thought life couldn't get any worse.

Mills was wrong.

One week after the open container incident, the Wildcat running back was called into Arizona head football coach John Mackovic's office. The news was bad - he was being put on academic probation, which meant he was officially off the team.

"My grades weren't too good so (Mackovic) suspended me for the spring and said for me to talk to him when I get my grades back up," Mills said. "My heart dropped when he told me I was suspended. I didn't know what to say or do. He said he was going to call my mom and he called her right in front of me, but luckily she wasn't at home."

Along with not being able to participate in team meetings or functions, Mills was not invited to practices or the annual spring football game.

It was a shot of humility for the player who comes from, of all places, Humble, Texas.

"It hurt because I didn't have anything else to do," Mills said. "I was off the team. I couldn't even lift weights with the team."

So he did the only thing he could - he went to class.

Despite struggling academically, Mills decided to take two summer school classes at the advice of first year Arizona offensive coordinator Rick Dykes and running backs coach Bobby Kennedy in order to raise his cumulative grade point average and become eligible to rejoin the team.

"What motivated me was that my offensive coordinator, coach Dykes, and the running backs coach, coach Kennedy, kept telling me to make my grades because I was going to be a big part of the offense," Mills said. "That kept me going. It made me really want to try harder because the old offensive coordinator, Dino Babers, never did show that he liked you or anything. He never gave me any feedback."

Headline Photo
file photo/Arizona Daily Wildcat

UA junior running back Leo Mills wards off a Washington junior en route to a touchdown in a loss to the Huskies last November 4.

Mills - who can run a 40-yard dash in 4.4 seconds - successfully completed his two summer courses, receiving an 'A' in Family Studies, and a 'B' in his Classics course. Mills' cumulative GPA was now over the required 2.0, putting him officially back on the team.

But it was the time away from the team, not with it, that Mills said has made him a more complete player and person.

Although he was not able to work out in McKale Center during his ineligibility, Mills bought a weight set for his home and ran around the neighborhood in order to remain in shape for the upcoming season.

His hard work hasn't gone unnoticed.

"Leo has gone through some personal problems, but it's great to finally have him back on the team with us," UA sophomore halfback Clarence Farmer said. "Leo means a lot to this team."

Mills - who is slated to back up Farmer during the season, occasionally picking up situational playing time - said he feels fortunate to play with the sophomore because they both put each other in check during practices and games.

"We push each other but we don't get jealous of each other," Mills said. "We push each other because we both know if we're playing good, it will be that much easier to win."

Mills led all Arizona backs last season with a 5.1 yards per carry average. In UA's 35-32 loss to No. 8 Washington on Nov. 4, Mills logged 282 all-purpose yards.

Mills said he can't wait to get back on the field to perform one UA post-game ritual.

"If we win, the team sings 'Bear Down,'" Mills said. "We just count to three, shout and scream it. We all jump up and down. It's straight from the heart. If we lose, we don't sing it."

Despite his current spot on the depth chart, Mills said he feels at home in Mackovic's pass-happy, pro-style offense despite the fact that he would like to be an every-down runner.

"My goal is to help the team win," he said. "I know as a running back, we are part of the offense a lot more. I just want to hopefully lead the Pacific 10 (Conference) in rushing. I'm pretty sure I will get in the rotation, so I want to do the best I can every play."

Despite being suspended by Mackovic last spring, Mills has nothing but respect for the coach.

"It's kind of weird because when I first got here, I heard about him taking players' scholarships and kicking people off the team without giving mercy to anybody," Mills said. "All I was hearing were rumors about his zero-tolerance policy. But every time I have had a meeting with him, he has been very nice and fair.

"I was like, 'What are these people talking about?' He's pretty cool with me. I was wondering if it's because he is from Texas, but I don't think that has anything to do with it. He used to be an NFL coach. He doesn't get mad or yell at you. He's real calm, but he'll let you know what you need to know. I respect that a lot about him."

Although Mills plans on coming back next season to play for the Wildcats, he said he feels he is capable of one day making it to the next level.

"I have the ability to," Mills said. "It's just whether I take advantage of it and how I train and stay in shape. I feel that I have the talent to go to the next level. There are a lot of scouts that come to practice every day. You have to always practice hard because you never know who is out there watching you."

 
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